


These Moments

by Rascalbirdy



Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods & Goddesses, Beach Marriage, Cat/Human Hybrids, Domestic Fluff, Flashbacks, Fluff and Humor, Foreshadowing, Grief/Mourning, Hurt No Comfort, Loneliness, M/M, Massage, Omnic Crisis, Proud Husbands, Reaper76 Week, Sleepy Cuddles, Soldier Enhancement Program, Staring problems, There's a snippet of a death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-15
Updated: 2018-01-26
Packaged: 2019-03-05 06:24:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 7
Words: 11,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13382040
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rascalbirdy/pseuds/Rascalbirdy
Summary: Creations for the Reaper76 Week featuring a variety of oneshots and various universes that'll occur in the last chapterDay 1: “War Buddies” - war/battles ✔Day 2: “They loved each other” - love/affection ✔Day 3: “Thankful” - gratitude/admiration ✔Day 4: “Defend” - defense/support ✔Day 5: “Downfall” - heartache ✔Day 6: “Questionable actions” - secrets/revelations ✔Day 7: “Depth of Relationship” - shared lifetimes/togetherness/alternate universes✔





	1. Memoria

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 1: “War Buddies” - battles

Two years.

That was how long it’s been since the fall, since he lost everything important to him, the people he held close, and the man who’s golden ring hung beside his dog tags, a silent comfort, but a heavy weight on his chest under the leather jacket.

Two years since he saw that very man die through wet hazed eyes, bent pipes through his lover’s bloody flesh and crushed bones, ragged breaths lightly wheezing hushed responses of “I love you”’s and “Oh, Jackie” until they faded from existence.

He doesn’t know how he lived. Maybe it was cause more rubble landed on him than pipes sliced through him. Or maybe it was some cruel God that Jack didn’t believe in anymore. Either way, the scars healed across his face eventually and he had to continue on. Jack Morrison died whimpering with his lover and clutching a cold hand, but a soldier rose with a snarl and bloodied teeth, eyes burning with fury.

Soldier 76 looked through what was left of a decrepit Overwatch base. His pulse rifle sat on top of his shoulder, a comforting weight as he walked through shattered pieces of his past. The walls were darkened and broken from misuse, bullet holes filled with stories and spray paint overlapping each other uncaringly. The hallway lights were hanging from the ceiling above, wire sticking out. Broken bottles, cigarettes, and other miscellaneous material scattered on the floor and crunched and shuffled under his feet. He was thankful for his mask, highly conscious of possible infection. He wasn’t young anymore, but the super serum coursing inside of him did wonders.

His steps echoed, but it was drowned into the silence. Soldier 76 felt like he could hear the echoes from when this place was once filled with a bustle of soldiers willing to fight, motivated to live to tell the tale. He used to have a husband at his side who watched his six. Who he traveled the years with before everything went FUBAR. His throat closed as the silence overtook him.

_Gabriel would’ve thought Jack a fool for jumping onto that Omnic’s head, guns blazing before, but what could he do? Gabriel fell and was quickly trying to reload before the omnic appeared, a menacing figure that towered over his form and Jack had silently crept around the corner before it turned on and formed itself. Jack had to work fast. He had to get the attention off of Gabriel and he did the first thing he was trained to not do: He panicked and he acted impulsively._

_While having succeeded in diverting the attention, a turret formed beside him from the omnic’s shoulders, shooting him straight through several times in the chest, torso, and collarbone before he heard a roar and Gabriel’s shotguns blazing. It went blurry from there, his body going on autopilot as he fought with his partner. Jack vaguely remembered Gabriel pushing him up against the wall, gripping his gear and snarling to never do anything “so fucking stupid again or so Mary and God above I will kill you myself, Jack Morrison. Do you hear me?”_

_The answer to that was, no, actually, he didn’t hear him. The adrenaline faded fast and his wounds screeched at him, blazing with a fury, the ringing in his ears popping into focus. He slid down the wall and Gabriel called his name several times.  From that point he faded in and out._

_Gabriel was holding him in a fireman’s carry. “Goddammit, Morrison, you goddamn fucking idiot. Why can’t you just think for once in your goddamn, stupid fucking piece of-”_

_Sleep. Become conscious._

_A helicopter sounded. He heard soldiers talking, some cheering, some choking on tears, some talking to their fallen teammates. There were murmurs, but they sounded too far away. Ah, damn. He definitely messed up._

_A hand placed itself on his cheek. It was so warm._

_Sleep. Become conscious._

_“Dammit, Jackie.” Gabriel bit out, panic coating his words. Jack barely felt his partner and best friend holding onto his hand. Everything felt cold, numb._

_Jack’s vision blurred as he tried to focus on the eyes he looked at and could only think of as ‘home’. Wheels ran under him as paramedics rushed him to a room. There were other people trying to talk to him, but with heavily lidded eyes he barely had enough energy to move to see them. Someone shined a light in his eyes and he whimpered before it disappeared and someone confirmed they were responsive. He wanted to see Gabriel. He wanted to know if he was okay. A part of him was wondering if his lover gained any new wounds while he was knocked out. He failed to watch Gabriel’s six because he got hasty._

_When he got better, Gabriel was sure to bite his head off._

_He faded under the anesthesia._

_When he became conscious again, he kept his eyes closed, seeing the harsh light through his lids and not wanting to face it just yet. God, he was tired. There was the rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor, his skin tensing around what he assumed was an IV needle and a clip over his finger. He felt secured bandages wrapped around him. A hand was gripping onto his tightly, murmuring honey, low and quiet like secret._

_He loved this man. He loved this man with every breath of his-_

**STOP**.

Soldier 76’s grip tightened on his pulse rifle, catching his breath sharply and breathing it out in a quiver as he forcefully tried to lock those memories, put them back in a place that didn’t deserve to be dirtied by him. It’s too late to change. It happened and that was the end of it all. He was a ghost. He wasn’t Jack Morrison and he wasn’t married anymore. He was just a soldier, a vigilante doing all the things Jack Morrison would’ve fought tooth and nail about. The only remnants of Morrison, as much as anyone knew, was an empty grave in Arlington Cemetery with no flowers and a legacy dirtied by the very people who pulled his leash and the Talon operatives who infiltrated his and his husband’s hard work. It was true they fought, but he never wanted to lose the man who pushed him to do his best.

_But Gabriel’s dead and you’re on your own now._

The echoing footsteps stopped. Standing in his spot, he lowered his head, the shivering of his shoulders increasing and despite fighting it, he crumpled to the ground, holding his pulse rifle to his chest. It was all over. It’s _been_ over, so why couldn’t he move on? He should’ve moved on. It’s been two years so clearly that meant he should’ve healed by now, right? Right? Gabriel would’ve wanted him to move on. But no matter how much time passed, the days got colder no matter the season and an arcane trench grew across his heart souring his emotions.

Soldier 76’s eyes burned and he gritted his teeth under his visor. He hated this life, hated fighting his own programming, the echoes of training screaming in the back of his head bright and red like an alarm.

But it’s too late to change.

It’s always been too late.

The air felt disturbed and despite his silent sobs, Soldier swore he felt the briefest of touches on his shoulder. Swiftly, he turned around, a knee up from the ground and pulse rifle aimed. No one was there. His visor looked for anything moving, but nothing was askew, touched.

He was alone.


	2. More Than Just A Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A gentle, sleepy love
> 
> Day 2: “They loved each other” - love/affection

“Christ!” Jack’s groan was muffled by his pillow, but did little to hide the exhaustion clear as glass. He smothered himself into the soft cushion. Night fell hours ago and it was probably three in the morning now. He’d been pulling all nighters for far too long and grew cautious of glancing at the clock in fear of seeing the time and being shot by exhaustion.

He’d only been Strike Commander for a couple weeks, but he’s already flown around at least ten times and when he finally came back, he had a varying organized stack of papers on his desk. Letters, resignations, mission information that he needed to read and confirm or accept, it just never ended! His hands ached despite the super soldier juice entwined in his being. Being ambidextrous only meant double the pain.

One of the things he most hated were the politicians. He loathed the idea of playing as one of them, shaking their hand and pretending he liked them. Politics was never a strong suit for Jack, though he always made sure to have all his information and evidence before jumping into an enlarged debate. He always grew irritated by the whole topic. Where as he was sincere about his intentions and goals, politicians would twist all of it: the fake smiles, the underlying threats via power play, selling each other off to get what they wanted as they hopped on those they thought ‘lower than them’. It was disgusting and self-demeaning. What Jack would do if he could just reach over and grab those greedy and prideful little-. 

Jack took a breath, heating up the pillow and, in turn, his face.

Occasionally, you’d run into an honest one who meant well, who actually wanted to make a better world and put in the effort, no strings attached. Those ones were probably the only ones Jack could stand, but it still didn’t cover half a percentage of the majority which vexed him. He detested this responsibility, but people looked up to him. Kids to adults. He wanted to make a change, a long lasting difference, or at the very least a legacy, but at this rate, he wondered if he would be better off disappearing. Guilt pricked at him when he remembered bright eyed civvies saying he was their hero while he was over here being tired on the first couple weeks.  A gnawing fear started to addle in and his did his best to bite it down.

Someone sat beside him, the bed dipping down. With a whimper, Jack dislodged from the heated pillow and twisted his body to hug strong hips. He heard the faint rustle of clothing as a hand went to pet his head with a low chuckle.

“You alright, blondie?”

Jack shook his head and Gabriel sighed above him. “I hate this job. I hate it, but damn me for wanting to make a change.”

“You know it’s not easy. Never is. Remember when I was your Commander? Sure, I did great on that- ex counting people getting pissed off, but the work had to be done-, but in all honestly, it’ll always be better you than me for this Strike Commander shindig. I would’ve killed someone by now, so pat your back for at least  _ that  _ achievement, Jackie.” The hand moved from his hand to the nape of his neck, massaging it before moving his hand down to Jack’s back and gently kneading the sore muscles. “ _ Jesus _ . They really don’t give you a break. Your back feels like rocks.”

“Can you give me a massage?” Was the only pitiful reply Jack could give his husband.“Yeah, of course. Just need you to lay how you were before, sweetheart.” Was the immediate reply, eager and jovial.

“Thank you.” Jack murmured as he removed his shirt- with some help from Gabriel- and faced back on his pillow. He wanted to say more, he did, but his mind was faded and forced a shutdown so he could sleep. It didn’t help that Gabriel’s scent, a mix of spice, soap, and smoke, calmed his everything. Gabriel smelled like home. 

Gabriel  _ was _ home.

His husband straddled his hips, sitting above his bum and swiftly went to knead at the muscles expertly. Jack groaned as he felt them move and snap back into place, ignoring the slight ache that came as a package with it. He sighed in content. Being with Gabe was where he really wanted to be. Traveling the world didn’t feel right without his partner to see the sights, the vivid colors losing their glamour in his eyes, replacing it with a sickness that couldn’t be fixed until Gabe was close to his body again.

“Hey, Jackie?”

“Hm?”

“Remember when we met?”

Jack snorted. “‘Course. You intimidated the crap out o’ me, but I wanted to make you know who was the real bomb diggity.”

Gabriel removed a hand to muffle his laughter. “Who the  _ fuck  _ says ‘bomb diggity’ these days?”

“Me.”

Gabriel heard the verbal way Jack stuck out his tongue. His husband could be such a dork, it was endearing and one of his favorite quirks about Jack. The blond always had a thing for decades old music and terms that no one touched until it dusted up. But then there was Jack, bounding over eagerly to take the terms down and bring back the past, polishing it as best as he can and taking the rust off. Putting his hand back where it was, auburn eyes gazed down at Jack softly, a loving smile dancing across his face.

A comforting silence blanketed them, filled by Jack’s little noises and Gabriel’s breathy laughs. Jack shifted below him for a better position, fighting off sleep to savor the time with Gabriel. “Remember when I confessed? You were so flustered.” His voice was quiet, but the mirth was light.

Gabriel rolled his eyes and flicked Jack’s head. “No, actually. I remember  _ you  _ freaking out.”

“Wha-?” Jack turned his head to try and look at Gabriel, eyes open and mouth wide in huffy offense. “Hey now, it was you! I remember it clearly! You were just staring at me all stunned and you looked like a fish. I remember commenting on it before you straightened yourself up and played your head honcho face.”

Gabriel placed a calloused hand on Jack’s soft cheek, turning it back to the pillow. “Sure, Jackie.”

Jack muffled something into the pillow, something along the lines of a huffy, ‘I’m right, damn you.’

Gabriel took a pause as he focused on massaging near Jack’s spine, not wanting to do anything wrong. The scars under his hands shifted and moved, the lightly freckled skin wrinkling and loosening the muscles underneath. Glancing up at Jack before he moved his focus back onto his shoulders. He felt the rumble reverberating in Jack’s chest.

“I remember our marriage.”

Gabriel snickered. “You say it like I don’t remember it. I may have been crying, but I could still see. It was just blurry. Can you blame me though? I was marrying the man of my life after all.” Gabriel felt pride on red tinting Jack’s neck and ears.

“No, I know you remember.”

“I also remember you crying, mi sol.”

“I did, yeah.” Jack giggled.

One of his favorite things about Gabriel was that the other was emotionally open, never thinking tears as a weakness, but a show you were human, always being ready to give advice to the recruits and just being over all supportive. They were in the military though, so of course there was a time and place to be vulnerable. He was such a mother hen if Jack was hurt or sick, but Jack would be a liar if he said he didn’t do the same.

“Hey, Gabe?”

“Hm?”

“I love you.”

“I love you too, Jackie.”

“I love you a lot.”

“I'm sorry, are we making a challenge over who loves who the most or...? Cause, you'll lose, Jackie. You'll lose."

“Mmhm.” He hummed. “Maybe later?”

“Sure, Jackie.”

Somewhere along the massage, he drifted off. When he came to, Jack was encased in strong arms, his head resting against Gabriel’s chest and the latter’s chin atop his head. Jack was on top of him and their bodies were smothered together in the soft cocoon of the blanket. Jack peered up at Gabriel’s face. Even after all these years, he was still so attractive. From that goatee to his thick brows and dark curls that hid under a beanie more than half the time. Jack hummed with a small, sleepy smile and shifted into a better position eliciting a grunt under him, arms tightening before loosening.

He loved this man. As long as he had Gabe, nothing would break him.


	3. Take the Lead

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Beep.
> 
> “Gaaaaaaabe.” A groan. “I MISS you! There’s too many papers and I wanna sleep! See you in a couple days I guess. I should be home in three, maybe four days? Yeah. Please stay out of trouble, alright? I'm just happy I’m gonna be free after I get back. I know you’ll be busy, but at least I can catch some shut eye.”
> 
> Beep.
> 
> (This chapter I was definitely excited to post up! 8D  
> Day 3: “Thankful” - gratitude/admiration)

Gabriel was thankful for Jack’s constant ability to brighten up his gloomy days and ominous nights. Staying in the shadows wasn’t too bad for him, but it ached when he lost his recruits, even more so when he was close to him. It had it's pros though. It helped loosened the possibility of having a finger pointed towards him, blaming him for deaths and crude actions, things that philosophers would weave about for ages considering the twisted morals used in Blackwatch. The part that he would’ve loved to change was the fact that those fingers were pointed towards Jack instead. 

Gabriel was known to be laid back, mischievous. Jack used to call him a cat which would cause him to wrinkle his nose and to ask Jack if that meant he was a mouse. Regardless, he was supposedly unfit to be a Strike Commander, cause he was "too rogue", capricious in how he led people. He was dangerous. So Jack was chosen. He was proud of his husband for getting the promotion, more so entertained when they were in their private space and Jack was rapidly shifting between a manic glee and a dreadful realization of his future dealings.

It wasn’t hard to notice the strain it took on his golden boy. By the end of the first week, Jack’s shoulders sloped the second they were alone, bags under his eyes and a sigh on his lips every thirty minutes. By the end of the first month, Jack was microsleeping anywhere he was able to: the couch, at his desk while he sat up, at one point even when he was standing, hands flying everywhere when Gabriel startled him. Somehow though, somehow he still found the time to check on Gabriel whenever he could. Flowers beside the bed or in his beanie when Jack had to wake up before him, a litter of random colored sticky notes with cursive handwriting and little doodles, and the couple voicemails on his office and personal phone when he was outside of their shared room.

Leaning back on his desk chair, the corner of his mouth quirked when he remembered Jack’s last couple voicemails, ranging from irritation to faux seriousness to whining and mourning for their bed.

_ “Hey Gabe, it’s Jack. I miss you. I’m gonna be going into a meeting soon, but I just needed to let that out before I step in there. Hopefully this time will be better.” _

Beep.

_ “Hey Gabe, it’s Jack. It sucked.” _

Beep.

_ “Hey Gabe, it’s- Why do I even say that? You know who I am. At least I hope you do. We are sorta, y’know, married after all. Hm. If you’re someone who stole Commander Reyes’s phone I don’t know who you are. I don’t know what you want. But I have are a very particular set of skills, skills I have acquired over a very long career. Skills that make me a nightmare for people like you. I will find you and I will kill you.” _

Beep.

_ “I got you something I think you’re gonna love! AHHHH! I can't wait to come hom- Aw shit. People are looking at me. Gotta go!” _

Beep.

_ “Gaaaaaaabe.” A groan. “I MISS you! There’s too many papers and I wanna sleep! See you in a couple days I guess. I should be home in three, maybe four days? Yeah. Please stay out of trouble, alright? I'm just happy I’m gonna be free after I get back. I know you’ll be busy, but at least I can catch some shut eye.” _

Beep.

Of course Gabriel would do similar actions towards Jack’s as well. When he was out on the grounds undercover or hunting someone down, he would snatch a relic if something caught his interest, something that would brighten up those eyes that would glimmer like sunlight through the waves. Other times, he would leave little pieces of candy with dated notes of why he loved his golden boy attached to it. Jack would keep it and add it (along with the folded sticky notes Jack gave Gabriel) to a jar with painted owls around the rim, until they eventually opened it at the end of the year.

But this time he wanted to do something different, something special. Something that would keep Jack smiling for months the second he remembered it no matter how far away they were.

The next couple days flew by with Gabriel training his recruits, doing paperwork, and brainstorming what to do for his favorite blond. At first he thought of doing something big, but he decided against it on the basis that Jack most likely would’ve wanted to do less moving around. A light bulb blipped atop his head one night and he couldn’t have shot out of the bed faster. He gathered all the materials he needed, rehearsing an old recipe his abuela taught him. She ingrained the recipe into his head when he was a teenager, plus many others, but it’d been a while since he last cooked it. When he gathered and bought everything he needed,  he slept peacefully that day, freeing his schedule tomorrow to surprise Jack.

Gabriel woke up earlier than usual, quickly glancing at the clock. Three hours before his husband comes back. He settled into work.

* * *

 

“Gabe?” Jack called as he opened the door and dropped his bag of Gabriel’s favorite chocolates at the front door. He raised a brow, antsy about the fact the blinds were shut, a golden glow muted considerably through them, overhead lights dimmed considerably. “I’m home.”

Almost immediatley after he shucked off his combat boots, arms winded around him, pulling him close and he automatically wrapped his arms around Gabriel’s neck, relaxing for the first time in a month and a half. “Welcome back, Jackie!”

Jack hummed, eyes slipping shut as he gave himself to Gabriel’s scent of fruity shampoo, faint cologne, and Irish Spring body wash and- Jack opened his eyes, eyebrow raising up in curiosity. “Hey, Gabe?” He nuzzled his nose into the side of Gabe’s neck, trying to pinpoint that scent. It was familiar, but it was too faint for him to pinpoint,

“Hm?”

“Whatcha been up to? You smell interesting.” For a lack of better term. “I got your gift by the way-”

Gabriel pulled him back by the shoulders, a wide grin on his face with twinkling eyes. “I’m about to woo the pants off of you, Morrison. Can the gift wait for now?” 

“Wha-? I mean, yeah, of course. You ok?”

Jack didn’t have much time before Gabriel put the confused blond’s hand into the crook of his elbow and led him around the corner. Just as he was about to ask if the brunette was alright once more, his eyes widened at the scene unfolded before him. Their dining table had a snowy cloth placed over it, one  little golden stand holding a blue candle in the center and flowers in a vase beside it. There was a rich red silk strip down the center of the table, two dishes facing each other with delicious looking food on top of it and silverware with matching flute wine glasses full of sparkling wine.

Tears welled in his eyes and a hand slowly hovered over his mouth as Gabriel led them closer to the meal. It may have looked simple to others. It was churrasco with plantains— Jack’s favorite—, mini corn on the cob, and fried rice with vegetables. But what made it all the more special was that this was the meal that Gabriel made for them when they first dated all those years ago. He looked over at Gabriel, noticing how the other had really cleaned up. He was wearing a white button up, the beanie disappearing from existence and leaving free curls up top.

The other only smiled at him gently, giving a quick kiss under his eyes and he wondered if that was an answer to Jack’s silent question. He silently took Jack’s Strike Commander jacket off, folded it up, and set it on the kitchen counter. 

When Jack sat down, he found his voice. “Gabe, this is… This is… “

Gabriel pushed his chair in from behind before moving at Jack’s side. “Jack, Jackie,” He hushed. Pure, unadulterated love heated over Jack’s features, a quirk of his goatee as he picked up and kissed the top of Jack’s hand, causing the blond’s smile to hurt his cheeks. Gabriel reveled in the fact his farm boy looked younger with such a smile. “Let me show you how grateful I am of you. Let me take the lead, mi cariño.”

Jack could only bring himself to nod and he quickly wiped the tears away as Gabriel sat in his own seat across from him. They lifted their glasses towards each other. Wedding bands glinted in the candle light and a scent of vanilla aired between them with the loving scent of their dinner.


	4. At His Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 4: Defend (1,653) (defense/support)
> 
> Jack v.s. Petras

“ _What._ ” Jack’s voice was deadpan. The little cup with whiskey threatened to break under his grip. “I apologize, sir, but can you repeat that?”

Director Petras looked at him with dead glee, now smothered from Morrison’s tone. “I said,” He repeated with a hint of annoyance. “You’re to be appointed as Strike Commander of Overwatch.” Standing up, he walked around the table with a cup of whiskey in hand and slicking his brown hair back in place. Settling a hand on Morrison’s shoulder, he laughed. “I’m sure you don’t mean to sound so… Crass, Morrison.” The hand tightened for a second. “But i’m sure that’s just the excitement still settling in.

Jack tried to not shift from the hand, much less smack it away. He peered up at the Director. “What of Gabriel Reyes, sir?”

A frown twitched at the latter’s mouth and his eyes only darkened. “What about him?”

“Well, sir,” Jack quickly gathered his words and tried his damndest to hold his tongue. What the hell did Petras mean by that? “Commander Reyes trained me after all. We’re partners, you see. We went through the early bits of the war, the Soldier Enhancement Program, and now Overwatch. We finished this Omnic Crisis _together_. Where will he be appointed if I get this promotion?”

“He’ll stay where he is, doing his own duty. Partners separate eventually, Morrison. There’s no need for you to talk like you haven’t gotten the promotion already, don’t be so bashful.” The hand tightened again. It didn’t loosen.

Jack refused to back down. “I don’t mean to overstep and I _sincerely_ apologize that I do, but I  prefer to have him at my side, sir. I would like him to watch my six throughout this. I can’t imagine working such a paramount job without him holding down the fort if I end up leaving the continent. I trust him, sir.”

“You can trust others.”

“But he would know if something was wrong where I see things clear.”

“Oh, Morrison. Don’t sound so lonely.”

He wanted to snap about Petras talking to him like a child.

“You’ll still see him regardless of this position, but to appoint him as your equal? No. No, no. He’s dangerous! He’s a maverick man, heavy with his lectures it borders on him being kicked out. Gabriel Reyes has been dancing on the fringes of, not only mine, but others’s patience. Putting him aside you with such a high standing leadership style would be the equivalent of trouble. Not only trouble, but possibly even something _worse_ than a boo boo.”

“At the end of the day, sir, I went under his training. It may have looked like he was brutal in cases, but we were in a war, an _Omnic_ war. These weren’t people, they were hulking masses of metal with turrets the diameter of three people, sir. Reyes was a Commander, a long one, a veteran from the early years before the war was anywhere _near_ the peak. He wanted to make sure we weren’t dead over a mistake that could be avoided. At the end of the day, he has experience and he has a mind on his shoulders that’s clear for the most stressful situations.”

_“Morrison.”_

_“Sir.”_

Silence ensue, the air tense as both men battled wits against each other. Petras’ dark eyes clashing towards stubborn blue, mouths tense with an unseen snarl. Petras was near bruising on his shoulder, but Jack was a soldier, and despite the idea of that hand being able to ruin his life just from his tone, he knew his ways around. Moments felt like years until it snapped with Petras’s lip twitching.

“I’ll _think_ about it.”

“Thank you, si-”

“Though,” The hand lifted and Jack released his stiff muscles and the breath he unconsciously held. “If you ever, _ever_ speak with such a tone again, Morrison, we _will_ have a problem. Don’t let this title get over your head. I’m still your boss, your _Director_ . I am _not_ a soldier in your command.”

Jack paused and lowered his head to hide the fire in his eyes. Boundaries were important and Jack already crossed the critter of a man. “I apologize, sir. I was out of turn.”

“Dismissed.”

The blond left. His untouched cup of whiskey settled on Petras’s desk, shining under the light.

Jack knew he won.

When Jack brought it up to Gabriel later on, the latter cackled on the couch of their shared room as the ex-farmer told him how he nearly broke at the seams and fought the aching need to slap Petras right then and there, promptly emphasizing it with a high pitched nasally voice.

“Morrison, you bad boy! Gabriel is off his hinges! Off of them I tell you! Don’t you talk back to me or so help me I’ll ruin you! Blah, blah! Yada, yada! Ugah!” He wiggled his fingers at the in-tears man and fought to keep the faux stern glower on his face. Petras didn’t smile for real. No way.

“Jesus _Christ,_ Jackie!” Gabriel was muffling his face into the leather couch, his noises sure to have been heard outside into the hallway. “You actually snapped back at the _Director_? I’m so proud!”

The fake expression disappeared and he cocked his hip to the side, arms crossed. A frown tugged at the corner of his lips as if the answer wasn’t obvious to his partner. “Well, duh. As excited as I am to take this position— well, for the most part — I still want you as my equal.” There was a pause as he glowered to the side, before they widened and gasped. Looking at his comfortable husband, he fought the urge to fidget. “You were- I mean, were you ok with me doing that, right?”

Somewhere along chuckles, Gabriel shifted to lay his back on the couch. He was in the middle of rubbing his cheeks before his attention was shifted and he looked at Jack with a raised brow. “Hm?”

“With me just trying to give you a higher position. Were you ok with that?”

Gabriel paused and soothed the ache in his cheeks in thought. Rolling onto his stomach with a hand under his chin, he hummed. “Well, at the end of the day it counts what position I end up having. Y’know, if I have one-”

“Which you will.”

“-But, personally, as long as I’m not sitting at a desk all damn day, I’m gonna be alright, boyscout. You know how I am about staying still. Makes me antsy. We’ve been out in the field for too long for me to sit in one spot and not think about the idea that someone is about to shoot me or a bomb is about to go off.” Gabriel sighed.

Jack sat beside him and they tucked into one another on the long couch. Gabriel settled his head on the cushion of his folded arm, blond hair tickling under his chin. A silence blanketed them, a stark contrast to Petras’s office. It was similar to a fleece blanket on a winter night, warm and soft, secure and protective wrapped as one. No way in hell would Jack take such a clear standing, open position under the stress of the public eyes without Gabriel at his side.

No way in hell.

Later on, Petras had announced him as Strike Commander and he now stood at the podium, hands folded behind his back.

Jack’s eyes would hurt as he fought not to squint at the flashing cameras pointed in his direction. It sounded like thousands of voices, but was really only a conference room full of journalists and reporters with camera operators. He fought the electricity in his limbs telling him to rush to civilians, that they were in trouble and he needed to save them before the Omnics came. Instead, he smiled at the camera and the people ready to judge him for the coming years. He roved his eyes over them only to sneak a look towards Gabriel who stood up straight in a well formed suit, smiling wide and proud with a hint of teasing. Jack's nerves eased when Gabriel waggled his eyebrows at him, lips puckering for a quick second before he quietly chuckled to himself.

Jack cleared his throat and the room quieted, journalists sitting down politely with recorders ready and tv operators practically salivating over his every noise, every movements. “Good afternoon, one and all. First, I want to announce how thankful I am of this position. I promise to do my best to lead Overwatch and to help add a change in the world, a development long overdue. There may be much work to be done, true, but I know that with my team and with the help of you all, a change can, and will, be made.”

Petras told him to keep it short and simple, give the public what they wanted: A sense of security and a hint of hope that will grow over time. It wasn’t too hard considering Jack was never _too_ good with speeches— at least, ones he actually had to think about. He was so used to just entering a debate with someone or fighting back in a tense situation before he spouted passionately slicked words. Being in the public eye without his Kevlar or a gun holstered on his hip made him uncomfortable, out of his zone. The duster tapped his ankles as he adjusted his footing.

The reporters took it like dogs with a steak and he proceeded to answer questions with words that poured golden ambition into their eyes.

Gabriel would privately gain the title as Commander of Blackwatch. Though Jack felt the increasing astral weight of people’s expectations on him, he was proud for his husband. Gabriel didn’t get discouraged to act prudently in front of Director Petras, accentuating his grin as rubbed his beard in ‘thought’.

“Thanks, boss. I’ll be sure to do it to the best of my capability.”

“I’m sure you will, Reyes. You walk a _thin line_ after all.”

If it was possible, Gabriel's grin only grew as he stood. “Of course, sir.”

Jack watched from the side of the room. This would be ok. They would be ok.

.

.

.

Then why did something in him tell otherwise?


	5. Feverish Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 5: Downfall- Heartache
> 
> Whoo boy

They were only a couple months into the Soldier Enhancement Program, the people quickly having disappeared in the first week within the first month. The effects of the program were trickling extremities, but there were still lingering side effects: vomiting (a common one), fluctuation of senses, or bones that ached with every movement as they stretched and strengthened. 

For Jack, he ran fevers constantly. This one was particular worse than the others. His body was swiftly switching between warm and cold, chills to overheating, until he was sweating buckets through his SEP shirt which was eventually taken off. His muscles ached and it hurt to move any body part if he even had the energy too. With a head pounding away at his consciousness till he couldn’t differ microsleep (that he was gently woken from) and reality, he could barely focus on Gabriel.

Gabriel was worried. Jack kept muttering things usually when he was asleep or when he was awake. The thought of losing his best friend terrified him. He did his best to help the addled golden boy. He used the medicine the doctors gave him and was given a towel and a bowl, fruit and water bottles. But it felt like every passing second only made the other practically delirious. At one point he looked at the fretting man, but just when Gabriel thought Jack was getting better, a hand flopped onto his full face in a failure of a pat and whispered, “Good… Good girl, Betsy. Yer a good dog… Good doggy.”

Last Gabriel checked, he was none of those words.

As Gabriel rung cold water out of a towel, he heard more of Jack’s incoherent muttering. It was acknowledged with a glance, before Gabriel rambled a hushed, “Gods, Jackie. Can’t believe you’re getting wrecked with a fever  _ again _ . This is your last one, you hear me? No more, otherwise I’ll die from worry. I’m too young, boyscout.” Setting it on top of Jack’s forehead, he sat on the side of the bed and set the back of his hand on Jack’s cheek, feeling the clammy temperature. He sighed. “Too young.”

“-briel… G-... Gabriel… G-Gabe…“

Gabriel took his hand back and set it on his own lap. He leaned a little closer to his friend  to try and hear clearer for that weak and muddled voice. “What’s up, buddy?”

“‘M sorry…” Jack’s eyes were on  him, half lidded with a face flushed and beads of sweat trickling down his forehead and the tip of his nose. With dilated pupils, Gabriel knew the other wasn’t really focusing on on him.

“What’re you sorry about?”

“Bad… ‘M a bad… Friend…”

Well that was new. He tilted his head and set a cool hand on Jack’s neck, tried to lower the body temperature. “How are you a bad friend? I think you’re doing fine.”

Jack whimpered and shook his head weakly, but Gabriel only moved his hand to hold his chin loosely to stop it.

“You don’t need to tell me if you don’t want to, buddy. Just rest up for now.”

“Gabe,” Jack keened a pitiful noise from the back of his throat and he closed his eyes. “I- I like you.”

His lips pursed and he raised a brow. “I like you too, Jackie. You’re a really great frien-”

Again with the high keen, louder with the added noise that was damn near a sob. “ _ No _ . I like you more than- more than- than that. Since- since… Under… Worked under… You…”

Gabriel’s mouth slacked. Jack had opened his eyes again and looked at him with such intensity, the latter couldn't help but look away. Clearing his throat, he stood up and picked the bowl of water up. “You should go to sleep, boyscout. You’re tired.” He didn’t look back at Jack, knew that the other was delirious and the words he spouted were just nothings.

Again, there was the keening sob of a chant of his name behind him, but he ignored it. If he turned around, he would have seen the way Jack’s teary eyes plead with him, screamed wishes that his mouth couldn’t do, begging Gabriel to turn around and see how serious he was and to  _ please, please, please don’t walk away. Please come back. I’m sorry for talking, I’m sorry I said anything in the first place _ . His verbal filter quickly burned under the fever far too fast and he regretted his mistake like a bucket of cold water on his overheating body.

As Gabriel stared at the bowl filling up with water, Jack’s words re-ran in his head like an old and broken record. A sigh blossomed from his mouth, long and heavy as his palm smacked his forehead. The sigh morphed into a groan as his hand pulled his face down. Delirious or not, he quickly regretted walking away from Jack just like that. No good response to ease the fraying man. It was a childish move. Gabriel was a childish man, he prided the fact, but he was also a respectful one. The second his senses came back to him when he stepped into the bathroom, it clicked how stupid of a move that was and the flush of embarrassment followed.

Turning off the sink, he picked up the bowl and walked back to Jack. “Hey, Jackie? I want to apologize about tha-” His breath caught and he was at Jack’s side in seconds, hands wet from sloshed water. With the bowl set aside, he called out the blond’s name, but gained no reply.

Jack fell asleep when he stepped away. Having shut his eyes when calling out Gabriel’s name took the last of his energy and he plucked the last petal off any chances of keeping his eyes open. It was the main thing Gabriel remembered from the doctors. A high fever meant no sleep, because sleeping could damage the fever ridden person more. At least, if it was a fever that was bordering 103.4 degrees Fahrenheit like Jack’s. Gabriel gently smacked his cheeks when the other didn’t respond to his calls. When raising his voice didn’t work, he had to jostle Jack rougher than he would’ve preferred, but the idea of Jack closing his eyes and keeping them like that terrorized him.

Jack made the smallest of grunts and moved his head towards Gabriel’s direction in acknowledgement. “‘M sleepy…” He whined. 

Gabriel hushed him and patted his cheek before soothing it with a thumb. “I know, Jackie, I know. But please open your eyes. You gotta stay awake till the fever is done, remember? Gotta stay awake for me, Jackie.”

Gabriel had to jostle him again when he felt the other’s body start to sink with Jack’s relaxing weight. It took a few more moments before the feverish soldier made a growl of annoyance, but reluctantly opened his eyes. He blinked in a daze and stared half lidded at Gabriel. Gabriel took his hands away from Jack’s shoulders and opted to settle the towel that slipped off back into place.

“... Hey, Gab… Riel?” Jack panted slightly. “Can- Can I have… Water?”

Gabriel gave him some water and tried not to watch Jack’s lips eagerly sip it up, tried to focus instead on making sure the bottle didn’t tip too far. “That better?”

When Jack finished, he nodded. “Mhm.” There was a pause. “Hey, Gabe?”

“Yeah, Jackie?” He quietly asked back.

“I’m sorry for- for saying that.”

Gabriel shook his head. “I’ll reply back to you when you’re not so feverish, Jackie. But I will tell you that i’m not mad, but i’m happy. I wanna do this right and make sure you remember all the good things I wanna tell you, but I want you to be able to stand, much less be able to sleep, okay? You’ll need it.” 

Jack nodded obediently and closed his eyes with a resigned sigh, a twitch in brow to accommodate the pounding in his head. There was a knock on their door.

Gabriel answered it and let the nurse in who rushed to Jack’s side without a glance in his direction. He thought about how he would take Jack out for a date. He tried to ignore the part that Jack was only being delirious, that Jack didn’t mean what he said just now, and that the flutter in his chest when those words were spoken were foolish.

God, he just wanted to do this right.

He wanted Jack to be alright.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Any attempts of angst that I try are somehow muffled with a pillow by my need for fluff. Like, I try and set it up, give Angst Attempt a bed, but then in the dead of night, Fluffinator crawls through the windows, straddles Angst Attempt and muffles their scream with a pillow.
> 
> This was probably the hardest day for me to do, but I promise Day 6 (tomorrow) will hopefully make up for it. ;u;


	6. Just Ask

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “We’re literally in the middle of a war.”
> 
> Day 6: Questionable Actions

Staring at people wasn’t weird.

Well, not so much as long as they didn’t catch you. Jack always did have a problem with that. Ever since he was in elementary, if someone would walk into the room, he couldn’t help but look them over, stare and observe. It was a bad habit, so said his mother, but she also said if he stared to much he would turn into an owl. Considering he’s yet to pop out some wings and a flat beak, Jack figured she was wrong about it being a ‘bad habit’. He liked to peer, but not in a perverted way. No, he liked to observe and remember faces, catch what he can about a person’s personality through their clothes then see the difference when he _does_ talk to them.

So to say it was creepy how he stared at commander Gabriel Reyes— it wasn’t. Out of all the people Jack’s ever seen walk into a room either slouching or straight laced, he couldn’t take his eyes off the man. His strong saunter with in an air of confidence covered in kevlar, steel toed boots, and a black beanie, it was all too striking. It made Jack a moth to Reyes’s flame. The latino man always had a confident smirk, pearly teeth with sharp canines Jack tried not think about on his neck. Cinnamon eyes twinkled with an inside secret and Jack would melt when they pointed towards him. The only time Jack would have to look away was when they had to spar and Reyes’s dark skin shined with sweat, his shirt sticking impossibly closer to accentuate thick muscle.

“‘Ey, Jack, you seriously still starin’? If you are, can I have your food?”

There was a poke on his side and a startled Jack immediately whipped his head towards the offender. Jordan Campbell raised a brow, his eyes smug with an elbow on the table beside his empty tray. He was another recruit under Reyes and just a tad more witty and smug than their commander, born in New York where he married with a son before he joined the military. His accent was thick, heavier when he was teasing, brown hair mused cause he ran his hand through it so often when he wondered if his family was safe and how his baby is, if his wife is eating. When asked about it, he sighed out that _when she's overly worried, she would forget to take care of herself, opting to busy herself up with our son and work._ Jack could understand that.

Jack narrowed his eyes, bottom lip puckering out slightly. Shoving his tray of food towards Campbell, Jack huffed as he raised a finger. “Okay, one, I still don’t understand how you can eat this mush. It’s bland as hell.”

The city boy shrugged as he quickly shoved some food in his mouth. “Protein.”

“Sure. And two,” He raised another finger. “I didn’t even stare that long.”

“Ok, Jack. Sure, man. Totally.” Campbell rolled his eyes and snickered. “You were only staring at Commander Reyes for fifteen minutes.”

“No, I wasn’t!”

Theatrically, he glanced down at his own empty wrist. “Oh, you’re right.” There was a moment of silence between them before the little shit snapped his fingers and pointed at Jack. “Ok, _now_ it’s the fifteen minute mark. Fourteen minutes doesn’t even get close to your high score." 

Jack shook his head and pinched his nose with eyes squeezed shut. "It’s not my fault if I stare. Commander Reyes is just really…” He tried to find the right word, hand waving absently. What word would make him sound like he can easily stop this crush? “He’s just really eye catching.” Wow. 

With a snort, Campbell stuffed his mouth with some food. "Why don't you just ask him to go on a date already instead of ogling?”

Jack sighed and frowned. “He'd definitely say no. With how stressed out everyone's been, I don't wanna add onto his because I couldn't do a better timing and keep it in my pants."

Chewing with a hum before he swallowed his food, a fork waved at Jack's direction. "Eh. Yeah, I can get that. Honestly, I was a bit more of a wreck than you when it came to wife."

"Yeah?"

He nodded and paused to drink some water. "Fuck yeah I was. She worked in a floral shop and I was smitten the second I saw her. I mean, she told me later on while we date that it was awkward for her in the beginning. I was pretty transparent with my stuttering and attempts at cool moves. Y'know in the movie where someone tries to lean on something and they fall? Yeah. It's not just a movie thing. I remember that vividly before I scampered away from her because the Shame Game was too strong."

"Holy shit." Jack snorted and Campbell refused to let him dwell on the imagery.

"But like, despite all that, apparently my wife was a bit of a sadist cause she took amusement in all of it pretty quickly. Said it was 'cute' and how her co-workers would bump shoulders with her when I left. She eventually took mercy and asked me out on a date first and thank fuck she did, otherwise I wouldn't have a ring on my finger. Happiest moment of my life was when I married her..."

Jack didn't say anything. He just watched the warmth of Campbell's features as he smiled down at the silver ring on the hand holding his fork. Jack briefly wondered if he would be able to look like that one day. To be able to look down at a little piece of metal with the same pride and joy no matter how many years passed.

“Y'know,” With a flash in Campbell’s hazel eyes, the looked morphed with a grin. "Maybe Commander Reyes can get you goin' into some positions you never done before, teach you a few new _tricks_ so he can get you to watch _only_ him. His ass is pretty nice too."

Jack froze and he glowered at the Cheshire cat's crude twin. "Don't you _dare_." A blush was already forming.

"Thick muscles, shiny with sweat-"

"Jesus on a pogo stick, Camp-"

"-And plump lips that's got that lazy smirk sinful enough to make a person moist their panties just from glancing too long. I mean, not my cup of tea, I don’t roll that way and I’m happily married, but damn if I don’t have eyes. Like the words of a nun, ‘I can look, but not touch’.”

Jack was sputtering wildly and his hands flew around, heat prickling his face to the tips of his ears and down his neck. He couldn’t decide if he should smack his hands over the rambling mouth or just smack him unconscious.

“You’ve noticed it, right, Jack? Y’know, cause Reyes is  _so_ ‘eye catching’? Noticed how he seems to give you a bit more attention, especially with the _extra help_ he gives you? How he seems to _love_ teasing you and making you giggle like a schoolboy in a Gentlemen's Club?” Campbell chewed on the spoon as he side eyed the flustered man.

With far too much pride, he resumed eating calmly and the blond dropped into his hands covering his face and a defeated groan on his lips.

City Slicker: 1, Cow Tipper: None.

* * *

 

Gabriel was a simple man. He was easy to please and make laugh, especially when someone did some stupid idea and got hurt. But he was also a commander and being a commander meant he had to take notice of his recruits, train them to do their damndest so they don’t get killed over something that could be avoided and to make sure they go back to their families safely. Yeah, he was harsh on them, but he needed to be if he wanted to get their asses in gear. The Omnic war was getting worse with each passing day and as “gruff and tough” and his recruits thought he was during training, he didn’t want any of them to die. Being a commander came with the weight of lives. If he trained them _too_ hard still stood questionable.

He sat with other commanders at a table that faced the cafeteria floor, the floor alleviated under them. With so many trainees in one spot and too many possibilities of something happening, it was better to have a view of everyone. If he wanted to sit with his recruits, he could. He already deals with them on a near 24/7 basis though, so damn him if he wanted to eat with a new group of friends.

Speaking of being a spectator… He looked up from his tray (red sauce you say? No, that wasn’t hot sauce, it’s some other unknown substance) and raised a brow at the blond who’s hands were throwing around all over the place.

Jack Morrison, a born and raised farmer from The Ass Crack of Nowhere, Indiana. Morrison definitely proved to be a good leader, fast and efficient with muscle gained from years of picking up hay and probably even picking up cows, maybe horses too for the hell of it. He gained perfect scores when he trained to join the military, a boy scout shining through his quirky personality. At first Gabriel was wary of him. Sort of even itched to punch him. With the way Jack was silent in the beginning, stock still like a golem and never really talking, the simple man couldn’t help but think they were gonna have problems.

What made him even more bizarre was his weird habit of staring at people, specifically him. Scratching his goatee, he mulled over the memories of passing Morrison in the hallway or when he was training them.

“Psst, Gabriel.”

He looked over at Commander Cassandra Nguyen. She was a tired soul, but Gabriel liked to joke she burned bright from pure spite. They trained together way back when and her muscles and take-no-bullshit personality grew with age, wrinkles starting to fade in the longer the war strained through. With each passing day, Gabriel would see her brushing her fingers against a worn down photo of her wife and twins more and more. Her skin was darker than his, fro hawk getting a tad longer than she usually preferred it, growing a little too close towards the middle of her neck in the back. She would ask his help to cut it eventually.

“What’s up, Nguyen?” He asked as he shoveled food in his mouth and turned his attention towards her.

“That Morrison boy still ogling you?” She asked with a quirk of her mouth and mirth in her eyes. Her food was already halfway done.

Gabriel could only respond with a nod and a hum until he swallowed. “What can I say, I’m a positive eye candy. ‘S long as he does his work so he doesn’t get shot, I don’t care how much he watches me.”

“Do you even like it? You can always call him out on his weird staring problem. Honestly, I’m surprised you didn’t already.”

Snickering, he swiftly ate another fork full before he set it down and leaned his elbows on the table. “Yeah, about that. In a very strange, very convoluted way, I’m ok with him staring. It’s funny seeing his face get all red when I actually look back at him. Reminds me of a tomato, y’know?” His shoulders shook with a muffled laughter. “You should’ve seen us when I was sparing with him yesterday, Cass. He looked like he was gonna faint! I actually _felt_ the heat radiating off his face, but he played it off like he was just tired, but I know damn well he’s got better endurance than that.”

Cassandra glanced up as if making a quick prayer. She shook her head and brushed some hair away from her eyes. “Haven’t you been giving him some extra help with shooting? How’s that going?”

“Eh.” Gabriel shrugged and resumed his eating. “Pretty good. He’s catching on fast, but sometimes he gets too ahead of himself and shoots without really focusing on his target. He’s doin’ good otherwise. I might help him with some extra sparring classes though. He sucks ass at hand-to-hand combat. Well,... Hm. Okay, maybe that was too harsh. Compared to his shooting, it’s not as good, but it can be. But he’s good. Smart and sharp. I’m proud of him.”

There was a pause and he took the moment to eat another bite. When it lasted a tad too long, he glanced over at Cassandra who was apparently squinting at him with a raised brow.

“What?” Mouth full, he mirrored her features though more comically.

“Hmm.” Clicking her tongue, she muttered, “You had a look just now is all.”

“Pfft. ‘A look’? What’s that mean, Cass?”

“No, it’s just-” She paused and mulled over her words, gathering and trying to put it in a simple view. “You softened up just now.”

She must’ve tried to murder him with that comment, because he choked on his food in confusion. “What-” Cough. Wheeze. “What the hell’re you talking about?”

“ _Relax_ , Reyes.” Smacking him on the back, she huffed. “I mean that you had this look of fondness. ‘S not a bad thing, stupid.”

Gabriel gulped the rest of his water and straightened up. “No, no.” He urged as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. “You’re switching ‘fondness’ to replace ‘amused’.

“If you find him so interesting, why don’t you talk to him more? Y’know, hang out outside the barracks and get your minds off training.”

“... Cass.”

“Hm?”

“We’re literally in the middle of a war.”

Cassandra paused. She turned her head forward towards the recruits after a moment and twirled her empty bottle of water around unconsciously. Her eyes dimmed and her features hardened as she looked, _really_ looked at the people under their commands. “Yeah, exactly. We’re in the military, Gabriel. We can lose each other at any second. This war doesn’t give a shit about what we have left or what we gained. We might as well make the most of the moments we have before it gets taken one day, either when we least expect it or we do. Having a moment could be a savior in plain sight.”

His mouth opened, then closed. Gabriel turned his head towards his table, his eyes roving over each of the people under his words. The faces were already shortened in numbers months into the war. He zeroed in on Morrison. He seemed to be pouting still, or maybe he was spacing out. Maybe both. Jack was nibbling his bottom lip, finger tapping against the table. Definitely both.

Maybe… Maybe getting closer with the golem-of-a-man wouldn’t be so bad. Cassandra was right. Time was limited for all of them until further notice.

He didn’t reply back to her and she didn’t add any other comment, a comfortable contemplative air blanketing the two.

Later, as he and Morrison picked apart and put a gun together, a smile would light up his face as he asked the man to watch a movie with him. The catch of a breath and a flustered Morrison later, the smug man would only be more entertained by the quick, “Yeah! S-Sure, sir! I mean, yes, thank you, Commander Sir! I mean-”

Every other words would get drowned out as Gabriel would quickly set down the parts and lean his head back, laughter bouncing off their confined space as he slapped his thighs, plus the addition of a ballsy Morrison smacking his shoulder.


	7. Universal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Day 7: Shared Lifetimes

There are different windows to different dimensions. Each one unlike the other with varying frames and mismatched glass. There are ones that are fancy and ones that are broken and decrypted. Others have dirty and broken glass and others are clear as day, almost hiding its age. Some flicker out of existence as their world breaks down into itself and it was almost as if the window was never there. The space is vast, the windows separated apart and disappearing into the darkness like speckled stars.

A being cloaked in an owl mask and black and gold fabric peers down into one window. The wood is old, dark and grey with some mold on the corners. The curtain bar is slacking to the side and the glass is breaking. With a small wave over the dirtied glass, it ripples on the other side.

▻ ◅▻ ◅▻ ◅

“You were a fool.”

The shotgun bumped into his white hair from behind. The fear dispersed when the stress became too much, when his heart was crushing in his chest. “And you were my friend.” Miraculously, his voice was clear- well, if you took out the hitch, the jump of the truth.

“You think I honestly cared about you enough to not kill you? Were you dumb enough to think I gave a _shit_ about you?”

His eyes shut at the rumbling voice, wounds dripping with blood and caked in dirt, his nose most definitely broken and making it hard to breathe. He tried to focus on his broken ankle or maybe the burning pain beside his spine from where he was swiftly shot when he tried to run.

“You had use from me from the very beginning. From a pawn for the war to someone I could fuck with. Then you became Strike Commander and who was a better defense? You think I would actually _love_ an insufferable farm boy like you? Actually _fall_ for you?”

Yes, actually. Jack remembered a different voice in a different time with a warm hand on his cheek and the other hand lovingly rubbing his side, and brown eyes lighting up his way. He did think that.

“Then you were a fool.”

Jack’s eyes tightened more close, tears prickling under the lids and he tried to ignore the way they heated. A tight, shaky breath released itself.

“Say goodbye, _Jack_.”

There was a click.

Jack lowered his head. “I love you.”

It all disappeared just as the hushed, broken confession finished.

▻ ◅▻ ◅▻ ◅

The window folds into itself and disappears.

The owl only tilted his head before he turned towards another window ways down, floating in the abyss like mist and the space eating up any noise it could possibly eat. The frame is strong. It’s bright with a lined gold and curved up into a regal point. The glass is cut into small triangles with an iridescent sheen.

He waves his hand over the glass and the world ripples.

▻ ◅▻ ◅▻ ◅

Jack smiled at Gabriel and he was greeted with a teary beam back.

It was finally time. It was finally their day to officially, on paper, staple their lives together. Both of them had been prepped up for hours, their suits a clashing of gentle blue and bright red, but switched colored ties. The hairstylists did their best to make Jack’s hair listen, giving it a proper messy, yet clean look. Gabriel was fortunate to miss that part considering his cleanly faded look.

The sea cheered out a congratulations behind them and their friends and family sobbed and watched eagerly as they joined hands. The priest was the only thing the two of them heard besides the gentle thumping of longing hearts. Jack’s chin quivered from held back tears. Gabriel already had to let go once to wipe away the ones that fell on his own face.

“Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join Jack Morrison and Gabriel Reyes in matrimony commended to be honorable among all…”

Their hands squeezed together.

Ana stood proudly behind Jack and grinned over at a delighted McCree behind Gabriel. She very easily noticed how the gunslinger tipped his hat to wipe tears. Her chest puffed out as a young Fareeha walked towards them in a little suit (highly demanded from the small child), holding a white pillow with matching silver bands.

The rings were set on with loud cheering, whoops, and claps and Jack pulled Gabriel in by the lapels, lips eagerly settling onto the other’s. Gabriel winded his arms around narrow hips and very literally tilted and swept Jack off his feet to take back control of the kiss.

▻ ◅▻ ◅▻ ◅

The owl faced man hummed proudly and chuckled. It was low and amused, old as time itself, but not rusted from use. He had his partner to thank for that. ‘ _Speaking of…‘_ The old being mused. With a small thought mixed with a hint of want and intent, he appeared where his mate was. Said partner was cloaked in white and red, a lion mask over his face. A callous, scarred hand reached through the crevice of the fabric and the owl quickly settled his own ruggedly scarred hand into it. They sidled up shoulder to shoulder and watched another window together.

The circled frame was old, turquoise paint chipping off in small flakes. The glass was cut into a two by two creating four parts and it almost looked like the bottom part of the window could be lifted. None of the windows could open though. They knew that.

The lion waved his hand over and the world ruffled.

▻ ◅▻ ◅▻ ◅

“Gaaaaabe!” A young boy called out with a huff. He wore cozy overalls with a red and white striped t-shirt underneath. Orange cat ears twitched around to hear for any signs of his friend and his brown striped tail swayed lazily behind him. “Come on, city boy! You can’t hide forever! We’re gonna be late for the sunflower field if you don’t help me feed the animals!”

There was a beat of silence and he stopped walking beside a scarecrow. He glanced around the cornstalks, tried and failed to see a sign of movement.

“Hiya, Jackie!”

Said boy screamed in terror as something- or rather _someone_ \- banged into him full body. They rolled and toppled and he sputtered in shock when they finally stopped. Gabriel’s dimpled grin practically reflected his face and the curly hair was even more frazzled after the ordeal. His red hoodie was zipped up and the shorts were caked in mud just like his red high tops.

“Missed me, country boy?”  Gabriel leaned down towards the blushing blond and black ears followed. His fluffy tail, black faded to brown, curled around Jack’s.

The tabby quickly righted himself and switched their positions, having had a little more muscle than the other. Their positions, both body and features, switched successfully. Jack leaned in closer than when Gabriel did, daring to brush their noses together. With a sharp toothed snicker- and ignoring his full face blush-, he proudly replied, “Of course, Gabe!”

The boy yelped out and froze as Jack got closer to make the comment. His didn’t know what to do! Should he throw Jack off? Should he kiss him? But his mama told him to save his first kiss for the person he was absolutely sure he loved! Did he love Jack? Gabriel knew the fellow elementary student was someone he would staple someone’s shirt-to-chair for. He also knew that Jack was really cute when he smiled and he had the best tail even though Jack said otherwise. He also knew a lot of things about his family friend. Like the fact Jack liked sunflowers, he loved pumpkin pie more than apple pie, and that his favorite color was blue. Jack knew Gabriel loved Pokemon more than Mario, barbecue sunflower seeds, and the color red.

His mind was rampant and he felt lightheaded from the blush in his face. What did he do?!

▻ ◅▻ ◅▻ ◅

The lion leaned his head back and roared in laughter as the owl let go of his hand to groan into it instead. “Look at you, dear! You’re practically quaking in your boots!” His hand went over the mask’s eyes.

“Oh, _hush_. As if you were any better.”

Their voices underlaid with an echo, a velvet cover for the roughness from use over the millenia. They were old beings who took care of the universes. They shared their time with each other and savored each millisecond as if it was a new start. They lived among the worlds that lit their way through the darkness and, in turn, watched as a faithful guardian to make sure those worlds thrived as they should and to make sure the windows never clashed against one another.

They had no beginning, no middle, and no end. They just were.

The owl tugged on the lion and huddled him into his chest, the other immediately melting in his arms.

“You’re stupid.”

“But you love me.”

The owl hummed in faux questionability, “Do I?”

And was given a swift swat on his arm.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh! So happy to have gotten this done! I'm sorry it took so long. ;u;
> 
> I'm currently doing 16 college credits, brainstorming 10 portfolio pieces, and getting ready to move. I'm just happy to have finished this though. I've been excited to do it even though I'm loads late. 8D  
> Fluffinator was chained down in the beginning of this, but when he was free, whoo boy did he clean up the mess from Angst Attempt.
> 
> I'm gonna go back to typing up Ch. 3 of [Oh No](https://archiveofourown.org/works/13093221). Please check it out! It's P.I. Jack investigating Talon member Gabriel and him trying to not fall for the devilishly handsome man.

**Author's Note:**

> [Reaper76 Week Creator and Info](http://reaper-76-week.tumblr.com/post/169387543061/expanded-themes-suggested-ideas)  
> [My Tumblr](http://rascalbirdy.tumblr.com/)  
>  This work will span from Jan 15 - Jan 21, 2018
> 
> Comments are always loved and Kudos are always noticed! 8D


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